Shipbuilders Urged To Standardize Technology

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Photo courtesy ShipConstructor

Standardization on a common technology platform is a key component in creating a sustainable Canadian shipbuilding industry according to a submission to the Federal Government from ShipConstructor Software Inc. (SSI).

To augment the work available under the Canadian Government’s proposed 30-year procurement plan and to facilitate sustainability into the future, domestic shipbuilders will most likely also have to export to the global commercial market.

To effectively compete, this will require Canadian shipbuilders implement worldwide best practices and have access to a trained workforce. An industry-wide R&D program and engagement of other parts of the Canadian supply chain are also critical to ensure the long term competitiveness of the country’s shipbuilders.

In order for these initiatives to succeed the report says standardizing on a common technology platform for design, production & maintenance is crucial.

Standardization based on the effective use of information technology would reduce the time needed for training and enhance collaboration. It would also reduce the costs of naval vessels by maintaining the connection between the information required for production and the information required for In Service Support (ISS) activities.

Darren Larkins, Deputy CEO for SSI, argues that his company with its made-in-Canada ShipConstructor software is well positioned to help implement that common technology platform.

“We have developed a college-level shipbuilding curriculum already in use at institutions worldwide,” he said. “We have created an on-line collaboration portal for suppliers to share intelligent 3D models of common parts. Our US subsidiary plays a key role in the collaborative US National Shipbuilding Research Program (NSRP) and we have helped some of the world’s most innovative shipyards implement productivity enhancements."